


Like I'd Love You.

by LannaBanzai



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, but its the first one ive written, idk what this is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-18
Updated: 2016-06-18
Packaged: 2018-07-15 20:50:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7238005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LannaBanzai/pseuds/LannaBanzai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern day muggle Hogwarts AU written for my wonderful friends birthday ^.^</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like I'd Love You.

She’d seen him her first day at school. The private academy her sister was always trying to get into -  _ Tuney your grades aren’t enough. You have to have other talents too!-  _ It was a constant argument they’d had. Petunia didn’t want to be separated from her sister, including writing to the headmaster of the school  _ -Whatever, like I’d want to go to a school made for…for freaks like you! _ \- but no luck. 

 

He had jet black hair that he couldn’t seem to stop messing up and a smug air about him and right away Lily was put off. He just always seemed to rub her the wrong way. If it wasn’t bad enough that he was arrogant, he hated her best friend. Severus wasn’t the best person around, he was gloomy and stayed to himself and didn’t try to protect himself, but that wasn’t any reason for him to be bullied. 

 

_ “James Potter that is enough!” She stormed down the hallway, her fists balled at her sides. “You leave him alone!” She grabbed Severus by the hand and pulled him up.  _

 

_ “Okay, go on a date with me then, Evans.” He smirked at her and she rolled her eyes. _

 

_ “In your dreams.” She dragged Severus down the hall away from them, “c’mon Sev, we have better things to do.”  _

 

It wasn’t until her fifth year at Hogwarts Academy that she began to see a change in everything. Sev had pulled away from her, being more friendly with his housemates. If that wasn’t bad enough, they weren’t the best of people, always in trouble for smoking or gang activities. She’d tried to stop Potter from bullying him once more, but Sev spat in her direction -  _ I don’t need help from a slut like you! _ \- that was the final straw. She couldn’t take it anymore. If he was going to call her that, if he wasn't going to appreciate her help anymore, she didn’t need to give it to him. 

 

Which is how Lily Evans got to her sixth year at Hogwarts Academy, to this current moment in time in which James Potter, the arrogant toerag, was once again asking her to Hogsmeade. Hogsmeade was the small village outside of the Academy that students in their third year and up were allowed to take day trips to.

 

“Listen Potter, the year just started and you’re saying you can’t wait even a month to ask me?” She tried to keep a stern look on her face, but was failing.

 

“Of course Evans, any second I spend away from you is a second wasted.” She raised her eyebrow with that one, and he seemed to regret even saying it.

 

“Yeah, that was real smooth. Keep dreaming.” Like hell she’d ever date him. She turned on her heel and stalked off to the library, trying to calm herself. She had only just seated herself when someone plopped down in the seat beside her.

 

“I’m sorry about James being a hopeless fool.” Sirius Black, the best friend of James Potter and Lily’s secret informant. They’d spent many nights talking about life in general since the evening he found her crying after Benjy Fenwick broke up with her. It wasn’t her proudest moment, but she’d gained a wonderful friend from it so Lily decided it couldn’t be all that bad. 

 

“It’s alright, Sirius. He can’t help it.” She resisted a sigh. “It’d be kind of endearing if he didn't ask me every week or so.” Sirius grinned as she pulled a chemistry book out of her bag. 

 

“Did my ears mistake me or did Lily Evans just admit she doesn’t mind James Potter asking her out?” His eyes danced and she glared at him.

 

“Oh shove off, Black. That's not what I meant.” But some small part in the back of her head whispered to her.  _ Yes that is exactly what she meant. _

 

“Whatever you say Evans. That is what you meant and you know it. I'll be good though, I'll keep your secret.” He tossed her a wink before standing up. “Well I think I've been away long enough, better go find James before he does something ridiculous without me.” He gave her a small pat on the head before waving over his shoulder as he headed out the door. 

 

_ Bloody hell. _

 

*****

 

The final Hogsmeade trip of the year was closing in and Lily was confused. She hadn't had Potter ask her to the last two visits, and it wasn't looking like he was going to ask her this time either. Rather curious, considering he'd never wasted precious Lily dating chances before.  

 

Maybe it was a new tactic of his, to get her to want him to ask her. Well she wasn't falling into that trap. No sir. Lily Evans would not be fooled by some simple minded trick. In fact, she wasn't even going to let him know that it bothered her, she was going to pretend like nothing was wrong and she was not going to fall prey to James Potter. 

 

_ Except for the fact that she already had. _

 

When the day of Hogsmeade came around, she wanted him to ask her. She would have said yes this time, she knew that for a fact. But just as friends...or so she had tricked herself into thinking. She just about nearly called it quits when the professors had begun ushering them to Hogsmeade, when someone stepped in front of her. 

 

Someone with jet black tousled hair. 

 

“Lily, would you accompany me to Hogsmeade?” She glared at him. He waited this long to ask her?  How dare he! But she promised she'd say yes this time...she convinced herself to. 

 

“As friends, Potter?” He hesitated, glancing somewhere over her shoulder before nodded quickly.  “Fine. But no funny business, I do know how to incapacitate you.” She continued walking and as he fell into step beside her, neither could keep the grin off their stupid faces. 

 

*****

 

“Marlene I think there is something wrong with me.” Lily mumbled one evening not too far into her seventh and final year at Hogwarts.

 

“What's up Lil?” Marlene McKinnon was Lily’s housemate and one of her best friends. They'd shared a dorm since their first year, and became quite close. 

 

“Well, I've noticed that at times my palms are sweaty and my heart races and my face feels all hot. I think I might be coming down with something. Should I go to the infirmary?” She was considerably worried about herself.  It had, after all, been going on for a bit. Marlene looked like she was stifling a laugh.

 

“Lils, when does this happen?” She asked, her voice dancing with laughter, “is it, by chance, when you're around James?” Lily had to fight an eyeroll. 

 

“Don't be ridiculous, it can't be James causing this. I must be sick.” Marlene couldn't stifle the giggle this time and had to slap her hand over her mouth. 

 

“Oh really? So why is he suddenly  _ James _ instead of Potter?” Her face grew smug as Lily’s face started to heat up. “Is that why you're blushing? You're finally realizing what you've been lying to yourself about for over a year now?” 

 

“I don't know what you're talking about.” She fidgeted with her hands, as she felt her nerves kick in.

 

“Come off it Lily. You fancy James Potter.” Marlene turned away from her to pick up her book off the table. “Everyone knows, I think the only two who haven’t realized it are you, and James.” She fell back against her pillow and pulled her book up to her face as Lily’s mouth fell open. 

 

Fancying James Potter?  _ As if! _ She'd  _ never _ fancy James, after all he was annoyingly smart, and good at sports, and a loyal friend and in the year she'd gotten to know him she realized he was also funny. He was clever and kind and a lot less intense since their first years at school and he made her laugh and…. _ shit _ . 

 

_ She fancies James Fucking Potter. _

 

Oh she was in for hell with this one. 

 

*****

 

“No Sirius, listen to me. Please I'm begging you. Just let me talk to him!” Lily pleaded about two weeks after her sudden realization. Which was, of course, one of the only things Lily couldn't figure out on her own. She'd taken a week to work through her feelings, and by the second week she needed to clarify that she was one out of two who didn't know. That lead to James finding her and scaring her, giving her the knee-jerk reaction of insulting him and now she had to apologize to him. But James, being the dramatic sort, decided not to let her apologize for a few days. Which lead to where she is now.  

 

“Sorry Lil, no can do. Mr Potter has requested the utmost privacy on his current location.” She narrowed her eyes at him. 

 

“Sirius he is in his dorm, I'll give you extra money for prank supplies if you let me past you right now, and I won't get you in trouble with the professors for two weeks.” That seemed to be good enough for him since he stepped aside. 

 

“Good luck Lily.” He muttered as she passed, before he turned and headed over to where Remus was reading a book.

 

She reached his door within seconds and only hesitated for a moment before she knocked.

 

“Come in.” He sounded sleepy and she half-wondered if she'd woken him. But she pushed open the door and stepped inside. 

 

“James, I'm sorry about the other day. I was a bit overwhelmed with some things and I snapped at you without meaning to.” He stared at her for a second as the words rushed from her mouth before he got a tiny grin on his face.

 

“Sorry, didn't quite catch that?” She sighed, knowing full well he heard her the first time. 

 

“I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said.” He pretended to think for a second before nodding.

 

“Apology accepted. Never thought I'd see the day when Lily Evans actually apologized to me.” She blushed, rolling her eyes. 

 

“Oh please, it's the first and last time so treasure it while you can. It's only because this time my wrath was unwarranted. I guarantee that won't happen ever again as long as I live.” 

 

“Planning on seeing me after graduation then?” He smirked and she could feel her face turn a deeper shade of red. 

 

“Oh shove off Potter. I would hope that we would remain friends after this. I wouldn't like all my friends to disappear on me just because we won't be in school any longer.” She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away from him as he stood from his desk to walk closer to her. 

 

“Just friends?” He muttered but she was pretty sure she wasn't supposed to hear that. Or the disappointment lacing his voice. She felt her own heart sink in her chest. Did she really just want to remain friends with him? 

 

Would she be denying herself by not at least letting him know how she feels? 

 

“I don't think I can do that.” She surprised herself with the words, she hadn't meant to say them out loud but it was too late. 

 

“Can't do what?” She turned back to look at him, leaning against the door behind her. He had a ridiculously adorable, confused expression on his face. There was hope in his eyes, but he was fighting it. Almost as if he didn't want to hope in case he had misunderstood. She couldn't back away now. 

 

“I can't be friends with you anymore.” That didn't come out right. James’s face fell into a blank expression, devoid of all emotion. 

 

“Alright. I understand.” He was monotone and she internally cursed herself as he turned away from her. 

 

“No! That didn't come out right. James, what I was trying to say is I don't want to be just friends with you anymore.” No that wasn't quite right either. “No wait, that still sounds wrong I just. Ugh, what I'm trying to say is- I don't know how to put this.” She was ridiculously nervous and she almost pulled on her hair in frustration.  “ _Oh_ _turn around you idiot!_ ” Before Lily knew what she was doing she grabbed his arm and turned him around to face her. He still wouldn't look at her and she tightened her grip on him in frustration.

 

“Ouch Lily what the-” She cut him off before he could continue.  

 

“James Potter you listen to me! I am standing in front of you trying to tell you something important and you will have the decency to at least look at me when I'm talking!” She dropped her vice grip on his arm and took a deep breath. 

 

“She's trying to tell you she fucking loves you!” Sirius’s voice rang through the closed door and Lily’s eyes widened as panic surged through her. 

 

“Are you taking the mickey?” James called back and Sirius didn't answer. 

 

“He's not.” She mumbled irritably. “Here I was, I had it all planned out. I was going to tell you over Christmas and it was going to be  _ really _ smooth and not at all like how it's turned out to be and-” James cut off her rambling by pulling her forwards and crushing his lips against hers. It was a first kiss that wasn't perfect, and wasn't the way she had intended either. But it was very them, and Lily loved it all the same. 

 

That Christmas Lily went to the Potters, a and she understood where James got his witty personality, and his mother showered her in kindness. His father tried to act stern with her, but fell into making Classic James remarks, and Sirius never stopped poking fun. When they got back to Hogwarts it was if nothing had changed, she was still friends with Sirius, Remus and Peter. She was still friends with Marlene and Alice Longbottom. She was still friends with James Potter, and she figures she always would be, but she was also dating him too, which turned out to be pretty great.  

 

*****

 

It wasn't long before James was down on one knee, and she couldn't help the tears running from her eyes as she listened to his speech. 

 

“Lily, I have loved you for so many years now and we've had our ups and downs. Your fiery temper didn't always mix with my stupid arrogance in our youth,” She laughed at this, they were barely twenty, “But I feel like I have grown and matured only because you have given me the chance to. You improved who I am with your strong will and stubbornness and I am no longer the arrogant toerag of our school days. You make me want to be a better person for you, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”

 

She couldn't speak so she simply nodded and he slid the ring on her finger before she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with everything she had.

 

“Finally,” she began, a mischievous smile on her face, “I thought all that planning Sirius and I had done was going to go to waste. Figured you'd never ask me.” She was smiling far too wide for her words to come across as anything but a joke.

 

“Yeah well, can't ruin all the fun of a surprise now can I?” She giggled at him before glancing at the ring. It was perfectly her. The band simple, but elegant, the tiniest of emeralds surrounding a teardrop diamond. To most people it might seem plain, but to Lily it was perfect. 

 

“Who would have thought in our first year, that we would be where we are now.” She mused, as she sat back down on their blanket. It was supposed to be a simple evening under the stars, but James had obviously planned a much bigger event. 

 

“Well I seem to remember, Evans, that I was quite hopeful of that fact.” She rolled her eyes at him, but laced her fingers with his and squeezed. 

 

“Maybe you should have tried just a bit harder.” He narrowed his eyes before pulling her in for another kiss as she laughed. 

 

And two years later when the wedding was over and she held their baby boy in her arms, and she saw James awed face, she decided she wouldn't have had it any other way.

 

And if Harry James Potter grew up to be just as brilliant of a man as his father…

  
_ Well, Lily wouldn't have that any other way either _ . 


End file.
